Golden delights on patch

 Golden Plover

  Golden Plover

 Distance shot

  Golden Plover

Lapwing flock (Plover flock in top left corner)

Lapwing flock

Linnet

Fieldfare

Common Buzzard

Green Sandpiper

I'm still struggling with the stomach & fitness so patch visiting is limited to short walks and scoping from the car. Milder air moved in over the weekend so the Wigeon and Pintail had moved on. 

In the fields close to the A46 I found a flock of 1150 Lapwing and 340 Golden Plover (two fields to the north). The birds caught my eye flying high in the sky when looking north from the bridge at Abbots Salford. The Plover were being harassed by a Male Merlin high above Salford Priors church. I managed to get as close as possible to get some record shots.

Heading east from the Plover flock, I found a single Grey Partridge in one of the field furrows however views were limited as the ground dropped away whilst four Skylarks were singing. Close by I picked up a large flocks of 300-400 Linnets on the edge of one of the farms. Also at the same location there were two Redpolls, a very useful patch challenge tick.

Fieldfare are plentiful all around the patch. On Saturday morning there were 400 opposite the Broom racing stables. 

7 Green Sandpipers were feeding close to the island on Pophills as the water levels continues to rise. Over at the main pit sightings were limited to 50 Canada Geese, a Shelduck, 30 Lapwing and the normal wildfowl.

Patch challenges moves to 77 species (80 points) but Nuthatch and all owl species remain elusive.